Suche
Mein Konto
Shocking puppet production: Tranter brings Hitler's end to the stage
Neville Tranter stages the puppet play “Schicklgruber” about Hitler’s last days at the Theater in der Josefstadt Vienna.
Shocking puppet production: Tranter brings Hitler's end to the stage
The anticipation in Vienna is increasing: on September 25th the puppet show “Schicklgruber” will celebrate its premiere in Theater in Josefstadt. A production that showcases the talent of Neville Tranter, a true pioneer of contemporary puppet theater. Since the 1970s, Tranter has been instrumental in establishing puppetry for an adult audience and is known for his biting humor and grotesque satire. The play takes us into the last days of Alois Hitler, the father of Adolf Hitler, and addresses the dark atmosphere of the final stages of a regime.
Originally premiered as a commissioned work by the Schauspielhaus Wien as part of the Vienna Festival Weeks in 2003, “Schicklgruber” became an audience favorite over three seasons. Now, in the new production, Tranter is handing over the puppets to two talented successors: Nikolaus Habjan and Manuela Linshalm. Tranter, who continues to work behind the scenes, maintains his creative influence and takes over the direction together with Habjan. Furthermore, Nikolaus Habjan is responsible for the German dubbing of the piece, which focuses on the bizarre, grotesque death that stops at no one.
A piece with history
But what does the title “Schicklgruber” bring us? Aloys Schicklgruber, born in Döllersheim in 1837, changed his name to Alois Hitler in 1876. The puppet show takes us on a journey into the dark days before Hitler's suicide in the Führerbunker in Berlin - exactly on his 56th birthday. The mix of cheekiness and deep thought, accompanied by a visual splendor of puppetry and costumes, is the hallmark of this performance.
The design of the puppets and costumes is also the responsibility of Tranter, who will not only create the puppets himself, but will also design the stage space in collaboration with Julius Theodor Semmelmann. The team is supported in the dramaturgy by Matthias Asboth and Karla Mäder, while the lighting is created by Robert Grauel.
A continuation of a great tradition
By the way, puppet theater has a long history, dating back to ancient times, where priests used moving figures for ritual purposes. The puppet show we know today has changed over the centuries, often influenced by classic writers such as Goethe, who became famous for his puppet show “The Fair in Plundersweilern”. In contrast to the performances often viewed as children's theater today, the original puppet theater was a spectacle for adults, with dramaturgy and dialogue taking priority. The development of this art is testament to the creative evolution of theater as a whole.
The first performances of the new “Schicklgruber” are scheduled for the coming weeks: In addition to the premiere on September 25th, the piece will also be performed on September 24th and 30th and on October 1st and 2nd. If you don't want to wait until June 7, 2026 to see this breathtaking performance, you should reserve your place now. With an uncertain but expectant look at the social issues that are dealt with in this puppet show, one can be excited about the result.